Below some photo I took while flying for 40 Mile Air. It’s a seasonal job that’s an absolute blast. 40-mileair.com
Two Tok Photos
Our community of Tok probably has a population of about 1,400, maybe more. The 2010 census reported 1,258.
Winters can get very cold but it has been several years since it hit -78 F. In 1984 I saw three thermometers that read -85 F. I’m glad the wind wasn’t blowing. It took two hours of fire-potting to start my truck. The tires were hard, the suspension rigid, and the seats were like blocks of ice.
Three Flying Photos
Molly Creek is in the Forty Mile Country. It is rich with moose, caribou, bear.
Preparing to depart Molly on the downhill in a Cessna 206.
One must fly to appreciate the beauty of flight. One must fly Alaska to experience freedom in its most basic element.
Four Flying Photos
It’s hard to believe that this area, with all this water, could have forest fires but it does.
(Pronounced Shoo-shanna)
The Shooshanna community is in the Wrangell Mountains. Chisana history began as a gold rush camp of 1913. I don’t know why they ever changed the spelling. It would be like changing Chicago to Cairo, everyone would still call it Chicago. It irritates the locals when outsiders say it the way it is spelled.
This is photo was taken from a gravel bar on the Chisana River. The canyon is a pass between the Eastern Tanana Valley and the Chisana Valley. There are a lot of Dall Sheep in this area. Jeff Chadd, of Majestic Mountain Outfitters, along with his wife, Cyndi, and their sons, Josh and Caleb, run successful and top notch hunting camps in this country. www.majesticmountainoutfitters.com
The Nabesna canyon is a pass between the Tanana Valley and the Copper Valley. It splits the Alaska Range (on the right) from the Wrangell Mountains (on the left).
Six More Photos
Joeseph is in the Forty Mile Country and near the Tanna Cross to Eagle telegraph line the Army laid in 1900 to 1902. Lieutenant Billy Mitchel was in charge. He went on to become a prominent figure in aviation history.
A wonderful day to fly.
The winter strip in front of Healy Lake Village is really pretty decent though I’ve seen it so slick you couldn’t stand on it.
The autumn colors glow in the Tok area.
Rafting this river should be on your bucket list.
Refueling at Joseph.